So i was given news by Lenovo that something great is going to be announced tomorrow on blog.lenovo.com at around 8 am Thursday EST. I think this is something that many of us diehard ThinkPadders have been waiting for.

I just happened by a big box store the other day and there was some consumer grade Lenovo (I think it was called the "Flex" and it had a caps lock LED. So, why did they take it off their workstation and business notebooks?

I will be absolutely thrilled if they base the design off of the T4* series or even T60. It would look like a sleeper for sure. I don't think it will be inexpensive, though, and I expect a >= $2000 price tag for the base model.

This is definitely a project I will support in anyway I can, and also buy when (Rather if) it ever becomes available. 16:10 was the aspect ratio that I and some other users once deemed as the optimal compromise for a RetroPad like this. For the keyboard there isn't much to complain about, while for the details I would assume newest possible architecture and an IPS panel.

I've stuck with all my "retro" ThinkPads (no newer than the **20 series) with non-chiclet/island style, 7 row keyboards and classic, non-button-free trackpoints... just hoping to see something like this revive the classic design features which many feel are what made ThinkPad stand out from the crowd. My own list of "must haves" includes the 7-row (preferably non-island or chiclet style) keyboard, trackpoint system with at least three buttons (if not five), and a display with at least 1000 vertical pixels, IPS and FHD or higher greatly desired. Other features, like the classic rubberized finish, replaceable battery, upgradeable components, modular bays and status lights/dedicated function buttons are all also "taken for granted" items I would feel lost without on a ThinkPad.

I can guarantee I'll be in the market for a new ThinkPad if one like this is released to complement, not necessarily replace, the current ThinkPad lineup. It would be the first new ThinkPad I've bought since the T61 era.

exTPfan wrote:OK, so it's just more talk. Nothing to get excited about.

And IF they actually do something about it this time around, you'll have nothing to complain about if you didn't give any input...

Lenovo is still dumb enough to not give the new blog-post a proper name.
Their chosen title: ThinkPad Time Machine? really does NOT hit the spot...
Why not just call it: RetroThinkpad as was announced everywhere?

exTPfan wrote:OK, so it's just more talk. Nothing to get excited about.

Actually, David Hill is pretty forward with the design proposals he puts on his blog and the feedback he gets (case in point removing the pesky touchpad on the UltraNav). In case you weren't aware, he headed the industrial design at IBM and continues to do design work at Lenovo.

lead_org wrote:So i was given news by Lenovo that something great is going to be announced tomorrow on blog.lenovo.com

There is a blog, but no announcement. Looks like you received misinformation again!

I am disappointed that Lenovo seems to be considering authentically "classic" features, which rules out 3:2 because this ratio was never used on any Thinkpad.

Actually, i got the article early. Bill Morrow actually saw the article too. So there is no misinformation. There is no point nitpicking here. The fact that this announcement was even made was a monumental step (lot of people put lot of energy into lobbying for this to happen), there is no other companies that would even want to revisit their 'classic' design.

lead_org wrote:There is no point nitpicking here. The fact that this announcement was even made was a monumental step (lot of people put lot of energy into lobbying for this to happen), there is no other companies that would even want to revisit their 'classic' design.

Where is the announcement?

Yes, I've read the blog and gave my initial feedback. No, I didn't see anything that would qualify as an announcement, even remotely.

...Knowledge is a deadly friend when no one sets the rules...(King Crimson)